Live life on the veg with Riverford
Published: 05 April 2019
Food delivery franchise Riverford began in 1987 when founder Guy Singh-Watson left his management consultant career in London, returned to his parents’ farm in Devon and started growing organic vegetables.
In the early days, the produce was grown and delivered using only three acres and a wheelbarrow. Fired by a determination to find a better way of getting healthy, sustainable produce from grower to consumer, Guy launched the home-delivery scheme.
Now, Riverford is a leading UK veg box scheme, delivering approximately 50,000 boxes of fresh organic produce each week across the UK directly from its farms to customers’ homes, via its network of franchisees.
This is an exciting time to own a Riverford franchise. With the organic market in its sixth year of growth and now worth over £2.2billion, Riverford is going from strength to strength, providing a solid investment for franchisees.
Riverford’s franchisees are local brand ambassadors, helping to tell the company’s story and encourage more people to use its service. They build relationships with and deliver to loyal customers across the UK.
Investing in a franchise offers a safe and rewarding way to take control of your work-life balance. Riverford has a proven business model, with the added benefit of being home based. Riverford looks after growing the vegetables, packing them and delivering them to local distribution hubs, while the franchisees look after the customers.
Riverford supports its franchisees’ businesses through a wide range of central marketing activity and back office support. Franchisees receive ongoing help and guidance from a dedicated business development manager.
Riverford’s customers care about where and how their food is produced; as a result, they trust the brand to grow and source fresh, tasty, ethical food. What sets Riverford apart is its commitment to reducing food waste and packaging, and ensuring animal welfare is of the highest standard. It also supports small farmers, ensuring they get paid a fair price.
Riverford franchisees come from all walks of life and backgrounds. However, as well as sharing Riverford’s brand values, there are some attributes that are essential, from basic business understanding, sales and marketing skills to the ability to build and maintain strong customer relationships.
